


They Got Janus [Whumptober 2020]

by chemically_imbalanced_romance



Series: Whumptober 2020/Cult AU [9]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Blood, Cults, Gaslighting, Gen, Guns, Held at Gunpoint, Kidnapping, M/M, Manipulation, On the Run, let me know if I missed anything please
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:34:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26946790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chemically_imbalanced_romance/pseuds/chemically_imbalanced_romance
Summary: [Whumptober 2020 Day 9; Cult AU] The cult catches up.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Deceit | Janus Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, Logic | Logan Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders, i give up whatever they're all friends
Series: Whumptober 2020/Cult AU [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947007
Comments: 4
Kudos: 45
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	They Got Janus [Whumptober 2020]

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: No. 9: For The Greater Good [Run!]

_ September 30th. 11.24 pm.  _

__ “We need to stop soon,” Roman mumbled. 

Janus shook his head firmly, gripping the steering wheel. His good eye was lidded, the one covered in burn scars closed. “Not yet. We’re not far away enough.”

“He’s right,” Logan said gently. He looked at Janus from the passenger seat. “We can’t keep going on like this. Nobody’s gotten any proper sleep since we left, we’ve been on the road for a week… We can stop for one night. We’re not even in the country anymore. We need to rest. No use getting this far just to go in a car wreck.” 

Janus tapped his fingers sporadically. “Okay, fine. Where’s the nearest motel? We’ll stay for a few hours and leave at sunrise.” 

Logan used the map to direct Janus to a motel. Their legs nearly buckled as they piled out of the car. 

“Should we ditch this?” Patton whispered in panic. “It was risky enough taking it across the border, I feel like we should steal another, or just go on foot.” 

Roman wrapped his arm around Patton’s waist and held him close. “Stop worrying, love. We can decide in the morning. Right?”

Logan nodded. “Right.” 

They hobbled into the office. The girl at the front desk looked up from her laptop and whistled. “You’ve been on the road for a while. How many rooms?” 

“One,” Janus said quickly. 

She nodded, swiveling her chair over to the company’s computer. “We’ve got two beds at most, you okay with bunking up?” 

“Yeah,” Patton said softly. “Just one room, please.” 

“That’ll be one-twelve.” 

Everyone fumbled for their pockets, pulling out a wallet or a few bills. “I’ve got twenty,” someone mumbled, someone else saying, “Here, this is a fifty.” 

The receptionist stared at the pile of cash they wrangled up, a few dozen short of the room cost. She forced a smile and set it in the register. “Thank you. Here you go.” She handed Janus the key. 

Janus blushed as her hand closed over his. He met her eyes. “Thank you. I’ll get this back to you in the morning.” 

The four of them immediately crashed onto the closest bed once inside. Janus wrestled out of his jacket and tossed it to the floor, rolling over to cuddle into Patton’s stomach. Patton ran his fingers through Janus’ hair with a giggle. 

“Someone needs to keep watch,” Logan pointed out. 

Janus reluctantly sat up. “I got it.” 

Roman shook his head. “No, no, you’ve driven more than any of us. Let me get it.”

“I can find some food.” Logan stood and picked up Janus’ jacket, shrugging it on. 

“With what money?” Janus laughed. “We just spent it all on the room.” 

He shrugged. “I’ll figure it out, no worries. I saw a gas station not too far from here, I bet I can smuggle some packaged things in these big pockets.” 

“Just be careful,” Patton sighed. “We’ve already got the car, I really don’t want anyone arrested, especially not out of country.”

He pulled the door open with a grin. “It’s Canada, what’s the worst they’ll do? I’d rather be arrested here than back in the States.”

“I’d rather be arrested here than  _ be _ in the States,” Janus grumbled as he laid back down. 

Patton pulled Janus’ head into his lap and stroked his hair. “Just be careful.” 

Logan left, and Roman pulled himself to his feet with a heavy sigh. He curled up on one of the hard dining chairs and flicked on the T.V. 

“Love?” Patton asked softly. “Are you okay?”

Roman quickly wiped his eyes and kept his gaze on the screen. “Just wish Remus was here.” 

Janus swallowed. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I tried.”

He flicked his gaze to Janus. “It’s not your fault,” he said seriously. “We all tried convincing him. He’s just… Broken. There wasn’t anything we could do to convince him to come.” 

“Do you want to come here with us, Ro?” Patton asked. 

He shook his head. “No, I don’t want to risk falling asleep. You should get some rest, though.” 

Patton coaxed Janus to the sheets and laid next to him. Janus curled into his arms and held him back tightly, nuzzling into his shoulder. Janus fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes. 

_ October 1st. 12:03 am.  _

“I have to stretch my legs,” Roman said after about twenty minutes. He stood, his back cracking in several places. 

“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea,” Patton mumbled. He climbed out of bed as carefully as possible. Janus didn’t stir. “We can stand outside for a moment, wait for Lo to get back.”

Roman came over and took Patton by the hips, kissing him sweetly. “I love you,” he whispered. 

Patton’s face flushed red, his eyes watering. He cupped Roman’s face in his hands and smiled. “I love you, too.” 

They stepped into the freezing night air. Patton spread his arms out with a happy sigh, eyes fluttering shut. 

Roman kissed his cheek. “I think I’m going to talk to the receptionist for a bit. Try to… Think about something else, you know?”

Patton nodded. “I’ll wait right here, let you know if I see anything.” 

Roman crossed the empty parking lot to the office and disappeared inside. Patton leaned against the wall by the door and laughed as a light drizzle started. It quickly grew into a heavy pour, and part of Patton worried about Logan and whatever he was doing, but he was so happy to be outside and feeling it that he didn’t care. 

His grin faded. Lightning struck in the distance as dread filled Patton’s stomach like water in a sink. His eyes watered as he ducked behind a set of trashcans. 

Coming out of the treeline in a crouch was undeniably Styx, surrounded by ten other members Patton just barely recognized. If it wasn’t for Styx at their head, he wouldn’t have recognized them at all. 

He glanced back at their motel room. Janus was asleep, and it’s not like they knew which room he was in. Roman was in the open. 

He hurried down the pathway, heart slamming as he stayed in the shadows. He circled around the office building and peeked around the corner. Styx and his friends spilled into the parking lot, looking around carefully. Patton waited for a moment when none of them were looking in his direction and sprinted through the open door. 

The lights in the office were off. He shut the door as quietly and slowly as possible, breathing laboured. 

“Roman?” He whispered, not daring to straighten up. 

“Patton?” Roman poked his head around the counter. 

“They’re here,” he panted, crawling over to him and the receptionist. “They’re here. They might have Logan, I don’t know.”

“Where’s Janus?” Roman whispered. 

“He’s safe. Still asleep. How are we supposed to get away?” 

“What the hell is going on?” The receptionist whispered, holding the phone to her chest. 

“Listen, just…” Roman swallowed. “My friends and I need to get out of here, just stay hidden and tell the police you’re in danger.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay. Okay. Uh- Wait.” She handed Patton the phone, the operator’s panicked voice coming through. 

“We’re here,” Patton whispered, “we’re still here, quiet down, please?”

_ “Are you hidden?”  _

“Yes, we’re hiding, but- But we have to go.”

_ “That is highly unadvised, please stay where you are-” _

“We can’t. There’s too many of us, and our friends are still out there. Please just get here and make sure the girl stays safe.”

The receptionist carefully raised and popped open the register. She pulled a handful of bills out and crouched. 

Roman frowned as she shoved the bills at his chest. He counted them quickly. “This is one-fifty.” 

She smiled nervously. “Didn’t you pay one seventy-five for the room? Fifteen dollar cancellation fee.” 

He hesitated. “Thank you,” he whispered. “Thank you. How- How do we get out of here?” 

She reached into one of the shelves inside the counter. Patton gasped as she pulled out a silver handgun and held it out. “Take this. Go out the back. If you go straight through the trees, you’ll make it to the main road. The closest town isn’t too far away, if you can make it there, you should be fine.” 

“What about Janus?”

Roman shook his head and took the gun. “We can’t risk drawing any attention to him. He’s safer where he is. Let’s just get to the road, and we’ll come back later, after the police show up to meet back up with him and Logan.” 

Patton sniffled and nodded. “O-okay. Stay safe.”

The receptionist smiled. “I will. Go.” 

Roman and Patton snuck out the back door, Roman in the lead with the gun. Patton’s heart thumped so fast he wanted to throw it up. 

Roman froze, and Patton nearly slammed into him. “Oh my god,” he whispered. 

“What?” Patton looked around in panic. His heart stopped. 

They were everywhere. Styx had brought a dozen more people, and they infected every corner of the motel, coming towards them in all directions. 

“Go!” Roman hissed. “Run!” 

Patton sprinted past him, and screamed as a gunshot popped through the air. It was so loud Patton’s ear rang. Footsteps raced behind him, catching up quick, and Patton sobbed as he picked up the pace. 

He screamed again as a hand clamped down on his. 

“Shh, shh, come on!” Roman tugged him faster. 

Patton nearly tripped as he stumbled after him. The cult’s stomping gradually lost its volume, and once the two bursted out of the treeline and onto the main road, it was completely gone. Patton tugged Roman hard enough for his shoulder to pop as he almost jumped into the road, a truck flying past. 

Patton’s shoulder exploded in dull pain but he held Roman all the same, gripping tight and sobbing into his shoulder. 

“They got Janus,” Roman panted. He was barely breathing. “They got Janus. I don’t know where Logan is. I don’t- I don’t know.” 

Patton pulled back and wiped his face. “We- We’ll just wait for the police to get there, and then-”

Roman shook his head. “N-no. They can’t help anymore. I- I shot one of Styx’s friends, there’s about four different ways that’s illegal and self defense won’t get me off on all of them. We’re not even registered in the country.”

“Then what are we supposed to  _ do?”  _ Patton asked incredulously. 

“I don’t know.” Roman gripped the gun and sniffled, chest heaving. “I don’t know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for posting late! I've been sick rip. Just so you know, the whumptober fics will be scheduled on Tumblr so unless, for whatever reason, I haven't actually written it yet, every whumptober fic will be posted on tumblr @abused-sides at 10am eastern time every day. If I can't get around to posting it here, check my tumblr.


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